Robot table tennis net and server assembly

Abstract

A robot server device includes a ball container constructed to hold a plurality of table tennis balls and a robot server that is mounted within the container and designed to receive balls from the container. A trough assembly is mounted to the container and extends horizontally or laterally away from the container. The server assembly has a dual net assembly surrounding the robot to direct balls into the trough assembly and container in order to feed balls back to the robot. The net assembly contains a rear ball impervious net and a forward net designed to allow balls striking the forward net at a predetermined velocity to pass through the forward net, then strike the rear net and finally drop in the trough assembly. Balls striking the forward net with insufficient velocity to penetrate the forward net will also drop into the trough assembly. In another embodiment of the device, side wing nets extend from the rear net along each side of the table to a mid-point so as to prevent balls from leaving the side of the table.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. In a ball serving assembly including a first net suspended above and along a first side of a trough for catching balls dropping from the first net and for feeding the balls to a robot server positioned in front of the first net and operatively associated with the trough, the improvement comprising: a second net, said second net suspended in front of said first net above and along a second side of said trough with a lower edge of the second net spaced upwardly a short distance from said second side of said trough to allow table tennis balls with insufficient velocity hitting the second net to fall directly into the trough, said second net being constructed to allow table tennis ball having sufficient velocity to pass through said second net from the front but preventing table tennis balls from passing back through the second net from the rear, thereby trapping said balls between said first and second nets and allowing said trapped balls to drop into said trough.   
     
     
       2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the second net is suspended from and supported by the first net. 
     
     
       3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein an upper edge of the second net having a top edge spaced slightly below an upper edge of the first net creating a space slightly wider than a table tennis ball, whereby a tennis ball can pass over said top edge of said second net and impact said first net to thereby subsequently fall between said first and second nets before falling into said tray. 
     
     
       4. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the second net has an opening for receiving part of a robot server from which balls are ejected in a predetermined manner. 
     
     
       5. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said second net is removable relative to said first net. 
     
     
       6. A ball serving assembly for serving light-weight balls comprising: a base section;   a robot server for serving light-weight balls mounted in said base section;   a trough assembly cooperatively connected to said base section;   a first net assembly attached to said base section and extending laterally outwardly therefrom on opposite sides thereof in order to surround said base section and said robot so as to stop balls hit back at said net assembly by a player, said net assembly extending above said trough assembly to enable balls stopped by said net assembly to fall into said trough assembly; and   a second net, said second net suspended in front of said first net and above said trough assembly, said second net being constructed so that a ball traveling at a predetermined velocity will pass through said second net and be captured between said first and said second nets, said second net having a lower edge spaced above the trough assembly to enable balls traveling at a predetermined velocity to strike said second net and drop directly into said trough assembly, said second net having a top edge suspended slightly below a top edge of said first net creating a space between said first net and said second net, whereby a ball can pass over said top edge of said second net and impact said first net and thereby subsequently fall between said first and second nets before falling into said trough assembly.   
     
     
       7. In a ball serving assembly, including a first net suspended above and along one side of a trough, a robot server mounted to said trough in front of said first net, said trough being constructed to feed balls to said robot, the improvement comprising: a second net, said second net suspended in front of said first net, a top edge of said second net suspended slightly below a top edge on said first net to allow passage of a table tennis ball over said top edge of said second net and to impact against said first net and subsequently fall between said edges of said nets and to be trapped between said nets, said second net further having openings of sufficient dimension to allow said table tennis ball traveling at a pre-determined velocity to pass through the openings in said second net and thereby strike said first net, said table tennis balls upon striking said second net losing sufficient velocity so that said table tennis balls cannot pass back through the openings in said second net, thereby causing said table tennis ball to drop between said first net and said second net into said trough.   
     
     
       8. In a ball serving assembly mounted on a table tennis table including a first net having front and rear sides suspended above and along one side of a trough for catching balls dropping form the first net and for feeding balls to a robot server positioned on said front side of the first net and operatively associated with the trough, and a second net positioned on the front side of said first net, said second net having openings of sufficient size to allow a table tennis ball traveling at a sufficient velocity to pass through said openings and thereafter strike said first net to thereby cause the balls to be captured between said first and second nets and consequently fall into said trough; the improvement comprising: a pair of side wing nets extending from said first net to a point midway the length of the table tennis table, each said side wing nets constructed to prevent a table tennis ball from leaving said table along the edge of the table.   
     
     
       9. A ball serving assembly in combination with a table tennis table for serving light-weight balls comprising: a base section;   a robot server for serving light-weight balls mounted in said base section;   a trough assembly cooperatively connected to said base section;   a first net attached to said base section and extending laterally therefrom on opposite sides thereof in order to surround said base section and said robot so as to stop balls hit back at said net by a player, said net extending above said trough assembly to enable balls stopped by said net to fall into said trough assembly;   a second net spaced from said first net and positioned inbetween said first net whereby balls many be trapped between said first net and said second net, a top edge of said second net being positioned slightly below a top edge of said first net whereby a table tennis ball can pass over said top edge of said second net and impact said first net and thereby subsequently fall between said first and second nets and thus into said trough assembly, said second net having openings therein so that a table tennis ball traveling at a predetermined velocity will pass through said second net and be captured between said first and second nets, said second net having a lower edge spaced directly above the trough assembly to enable balls traveling at a predetermined velocity to strike said second net and drop directly into said trough assembly; and   a pair of side nets extending out from said trough assembly and said net assembly, each said side nets extending from said first net along an edge of the table tennis table assembly to a midpoint on said table tennis table to prevent a table tennis ball from leaving said table at said edge.